Fred Warner

49ers Rumors: DE Trade, Warner, Aiyuk, Bosa

October 26th, 2025 at 11:37am CST by Rory Parks

Despite another barrage of injuries to marquee players, the 49ers are 5-2 and in a three-way tie for first place in the NFC West. Following the season-ending ACL tear that standout pass rusher Nick Bosa sustained in Week 3, GM John Lynch said the club would look to the trade market for reinforcements on the edge (comments he seemed to walk back to an extent in the wake of the potentially season-ending ankle injury that star linebacker Fred Warner suffered in Week 6).

Now, offseason trade acquisition Bryce Huff – whose role had increased with Bosa on the sidelines – is set to miss some time due to a hamstring ailment. Notwithstanding the remarks he made after the Warner injury, Lynch is surely doing his due diligence on EDGE players who might be available via trade, and he conceded he will pull the trigger if the right opportunity presents itself. That has not happened yet, but it could.

When asked about the possibility of adding a defensive end, Lynch told KNBR radio, “[w]e don’t have to … But we have plenty in this building … We’ll hold down the fort until [Huff’s hamstring is healed]. If it can help our team we won’t hesitate to do it. But nothing has presented itself that aligns completely to this point” (via Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News).

The trade deadline is a little more than a week away, and talks around the league will surely heat up as November 4 draws nearer. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler noted that teams with pass rushers to deal are (understandably) seeking significant compensation in return for their premium-position talent. Prospective buyers, meanwhile, are hoping the price will come down in the upcoming days, leading Fowler to believe the EDGE market could be a late-forming one.

As Lynch continues to survey that market, he could soon get some much-needed good news on the injury front. After a disappointing September update on wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk’s ACL and MCL tears – which he suffered in Week 7 of the 2024 campaign – recent reports suggested the club was targeting a November return for the 2020 first-rounder. It still seems that is the case, as head coach Kyle Shanahan recently told reporters (including ESPN’s Nick Wagoner) that Aiyuk could begin practicing as early as this week. Whenever San Francisco opens Aiyuk’s practice window, it will have up to 21 days to activate him. Failing that, he will revert to season-ending injured reserve.

Surgeons whom Matt Barrows of The Athletic consulted said Warner could be healthy enough to return for the playoffs should the Niners qualify, and Lynch confirmed as much. Per Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle, the GM did not rule out the possibility of a postseason return for Warner.

Bosa, on the other hand, is definitely done for the rest of the regular season and any potential postseason contests. Wagoner reported at the end of September that Bosa’s surgery on his torn ACL went well, and Barrows said the Niners could see up to $9MM in cap savings as a result of the insurance policy they took out on Bosa’s mega-deal.

49ers Activate TE George Kittle From IR

October 18th, 2025 at 3:22pm CST by Ely Allen

As the 49ers say goodbye to one star, they’ll welcome another. Opening a spot on the 53-man roster by officially placing linebacker Fred Warner on injured reserve, San Francisco will fill it with the activation of tight end George Kittle from IR. Kittle is joined as an IR activation by defensive tackle Kevin Givens.

After suffering a full tear of his right hamstring in a Week 1 win over the Seahawks, Kittle sat out five games – the second-highest total of his career. The six-time Pro Bowler will return to an offense that will go without starting quarterback Brock Purdy for the third straight game. With Purdy dealing with a toe injury, Mac Jones will lead the 4-2 Niners against the 3-2 Falcons on Sunday.

The multi-game absences of Kittle and Purdy have been among several injury-related setbacks for San Francisco’s offense this year. The defense also hasn’t been spared. Star pass rusher Nick Bosa went down with a season-ending ACL tear in Week 3. The unit took a similarly brutal shot when Warner dislocated and fractured his ankle in a loss to the Buccaneers last week. The four-time Pro Bowler underwent surgery and will miss the rest of the regular season. A playoff return for Warner is an extreme long shot.

With Warner out of commission, Tatum Bethune will face a gargantuan task in replacing one of the game’s preeminent defenders. Bethune, a seventh-round pick in 2024, has only made one start in 17 career games. Out of 134 snaps this year, just 48 have come on defense. Bethune has otherwise worked on special teams.

While San Francisco’s defense has lost Warner, it’s getting some D-line depth back with Givens set to make his season debut. Givens hasn’t played in 2025 as a result of a pectoral injury. The seventh-year 49er totaled 3.5 sacks and six QB hits in eight games last season.

In addition to the IR transactions, San Francisco announced that defensive end Trevis Gipson has been signed from the practice squad to the 53-man roster. Joining him for the weekend as standard gameday practice squad elevations will be wide receiver Malik Turner and offensive lineman Nick Zakelj. To make room for Gipson on the active roster, the 49ers waived tight Brayden Willis.

Connor Byrne contributed to this post.

49ers LB Fred Warner Undergoes Surgery

October 16th, 2025 at 11:14am CST by Adam La Rose

OCTOBER 16: Shanahan noted (via Matt Barrows of The Athletic) Warner’s surgery was a success. A firm recovery timeline is still not in place at this point, with Lynch stating during his latest KNBR appearance (h/t Barrows) he will soon speak with team doctors on that subject. Surgeons Barrows interviewed indicated a return during the playoffs could be possible, but the team’s stance on Warner’s injury being season-ending has not changed.

OCTOBER 14: The 49ers’ defense was dealt another crippling blow on Sunday when Fred Warner suffered a fractured and dislocated ankle. His recovery process will begin soon.

Warner is scheduled to undergo surgery tomorrow, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay area notes. When speaking about the injury, head coach Kyle Shanahan added he expects the four-time Pro Bowler to return to on-field activities at some point during the offseason. While a more definitive timeline will depend on the success of the procedure, the 49ers will move forward without one of their most important contributors for the rest of the season.

Over the course of his career (all of which has taken place with San Francisco), Warner has served as a full-time starter and a consistent high-end performer. The four-time All-Pro recorded between 118 and 137 tackles in each of his first seven seasons with the 49ers, but this injury will cause an absence beyond one game for the first time in Warner’s decorated tenure. With edge rusher Nick Bosa already sidelined, San Francisco’s defense faces a major challenge in terms of keeping the team in playoff contention.

General manager John Lynch has made it clear a trade is being worked on to acquire a pass rusher capable of replacing Bosa’s presence to an extent. It will be interesting to see if the 49ers – who lost Dre Greenlaw in free agency – will add linebacker to their list of positions targeted on the trade front. As ESPN’s Nick Wagoner writes, though, the loss of Warner hinders San Francisco’s chances of competing for a Super Bowl in 2025. Parting ways with future draft capital for a rental addition could therefore prove to be a misstep.

In any event, the 49ers are currently in position to lean on internal options as they look to replace Warner. That could result in Tatum Bethune taking on a starting defensive role moving forward. The 2024 seventh-rounder has operated as a regular on special teams over the course of his first two seasons in the league. Bethune only logged 51 snaps on defense as a rookie, however, and his total in that regard sits at 48 after he filled in for Warner in Week 6. The 49ers’ plan regarding any LB moves will be based in part on how Bethune fares in his expanded role.

Sunday’s loss leaves San Francisco as one of three teams in the NFC West with a 4-2 record. Plenty of time remains for the team’s season to swing one way or the other as a result. Ahead of the 2026 campaign, though, Warner’s progress in rehabbing after surgery will be a key story to follow.

49ers LB Fred Warner Out For Season

October 12th, 2025 at 10:34pm CST by Ely Allen

10:34pm: According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan has revealed Warner’s diagnosis to be both a broken and dislocated ankle. ESPN’s Nick Wagoner quickly followed the report confirming that Warner will require surgery, and the injury will be season-ending.

5:07pm: The 49ers have been ravaged by injury throughout this young season, but they may have taken their biggest hit today. According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner has been diagnosed with a dislocated ankle. Russini reports that Warner will meet with doctors to determine his exact prognosis, but given the nature of the injury, it has the potential to be season-ending.

We saw Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin suffer an ankle dislocation about a week later into the season last year, and though he had intentions to be ready for the postseason after undergoing surgery, he didn’t play another snap that season. Godwin then needed a second procedure on his ankle that held him out for the full offseason, training camp, and the first three weeks of this year’s regular season. Obviously, we can’t project this onto Warner, whose details are not yet known, but Godwin’s recent example serves as a possible outcome for this type of injury.

No matter how long the absence is, unless the 28-year-old comes back two weeks from now, this is uncharted territory for Warner. Since getting drafted by San Francisco in the third round back in 2018, Warner has appeared and started in every possible game except for one. While the four-time All-Pro will have his own new challenges to tackle over a potentially extended absence, the 49ers’ uncharted territory of fielding a defense for multiple games without Warner poses other serious challenges.

Warner’s backup at middle linebacker is Tatum Bethune. A seventh-round pick out of Florida State last year, Bethune spent his rookie year almost exclusively on special teams. Active for 11 games, he only appeared on the field for 12 defensive snaps before starting San Francisco’s season finale. This year has been more of the same for the 24-year-old; after appearing in three defensive snaps in Week 1, Bethune has been all special teams before today.

At the very least, Warner will end up adding to an injury report that featured 18 other players this week for the 49ers. If the injury ends up being as serious as it looked, Warner could be the 12th Niner placed on injured reserve this season. He would join such stars on the IR as pass rusher Nick Bosa and tight end George Kittle, with more starters like quarterback Brock Purdy and wide receiver Ricky Pearsall merely sporting “out” designations on the injury report.

While the injury suffered by Warner today looked bad, no determinations have been made on the severity of his ankle injury just yet. Once more is learned, San Francisco will be able to formulate a plan for return. Until then, they’ll continue to do as they have been doing, fielding the next man up and relying on their depth to put themselves in as good a position to win as possible.

49ers, Fred Warner Agree To Extension

May 22nd, 2025 at 7:45pm CST by Adam La Rose

THURSDAY, 7:45pm: The 49ers have officially announced the extension.

“Fred’s leadership is exemplary and his approach to his craft is contagious,” said GM John Lynch. “Fred sets the tone for our entire team with the consistency, speed and physicality with which he plays. Off the field, his passion, energy, and professionalism are second to none and truly embody what it means to be a Niner. We are extremely proud to get this extension done and lock Fred in for the future.”

MONDAY, 4:00pm: Talks with Fred Warner have indeed resulted in an extension agreement. The 49ers have come to terms with the All-Pro linebacker on another lucrative deal.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports team and player have agreed to a three-year extension. The pact is worth $63MM in total and includes $56MM in guarantees. For the second time in his career, Warner holds the title of the NFL’s highest-paid middle linebacker.

The top of the LB market stood at $20MM annually entering Monday, with Warner ranking second behind only Roquan Smith in terms of AAV. This latest San Francisco commitment will move Warner up to $21MM per season, which represents a slight raise on that front while no doubt lowering his scheduled cap hits for the next two years. The four-time Pro Bowler is now under contract through 2029.

Joel Corry of CBS Sports notes Warner will still earn $18.25MM in 2025, but this pact includes $5MM in additional compensation through 2026 compared to the previous one. $39.5MM of full guarantees are in place. Between now and the end of the 2028 season, $42MM in new money will be paid out.

In recent years, San Francisco has seen negotiations for its top players drag deep into the summer. That has not proven to be the case in 2025, however. Tight end George Kittle landed a new pact recently, and that was followed in short order by Brock Purdy becoming the league’s latest big-money quarterback. Warner loomed as the next logical target for such a commitment on the part of the 49ers, although as of April it seemed as though there was still plenty of work to be done on the negotiating front.

More recently, though, it became clear progress was being made. The latest update on the matter noted an agreement was close, so today’s news comes as no surprise. Warner will remain a focal point of San Francisco’s LB unit in particular and the team’s defense in general for years to come, something of increased importance given the departures seen on that side of the ball this spring. Dre Greenlaw was among the starters who left in free agency, with the pending Purdy extension playing a role in the 49ers’ spending plans. Obviously a new Warner pact was also in the team’s budget.

The former third-rounder has handled full-time starting duties during each of his seven years in the league; he has missed only one game during that span. Warner’s consistency as a run defender (at least 118 tackles each season) and play against the pass (seven interceptions, 28 pass deflections) has helped his case for being the league’s best linebacker, and his financial situation once again reflects that. The 28-year-old will remain in the Bay Area through the remainder of his prime.

Improved play on both sides of the ball will be required if the 49ers are to return to the postseason in 2025. Better health on offense will be a key factor, but the while the team’s defense integrates a number of new starters Warner will continue in his pivotal role with his long-term future secured.

49ers, LB Fred Warner Nearing Extension

May 19th, 2025 at 9:00am CST by Adam La Rose

In an offseason which has seen a number of defensive departures in particular, the 49ers have managed to keep a pair of key contributors on the other side of the ball in place well beyond 2025. Tight end George Kittle, and shortly thereafter, quarterback Brock Purdy have signed long-term extensions this spring.

Many have pointed to Fred Warner as the next logical candidate for a new deal as a result. The All-Pro linebacker did not appear to be close to an agreement on that front last month, but that seems to have changed in the wake of the Kittle and Purdy pacts. Team and player are “very close” to an extension, Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Two years remain on Warner’s current deal, a big-ticket extension he inked in 2021. None of his outstanding base salaries are guaranteed, though, and the 28-year-old is set to carry cap charges of $29.17MM and $26.71MM as things stand. Lowering those totals would be a welcomed development for San Francisco as the team’s financial outlook shifts with Purdy no longer representing a quarterback bargain. Warner’s next pact should allow him to become the league’s highest-paid linebacker once it is in place.

The top of the position’s market stands at $20MM per season as a result of the deal Roquan Smith signed shortly after being acquired via trade by the Ravens in 2023. A number of other notable extensions have been worked out since then, but Warner’s AAV ($19.05MM) still ranks second. A third 49ers pact would no doubt check in at a higher rate given the rise in the salary cap and the four-time Pro Bowler’s continued high level of play during his time in San Francisco.

Warner has recorded between 118 and 137 tackles during each of his seven years in the NFL, and with seven interceptions across the past three years he has proven to be a playmaker against the pass as well as the run. The former third-rounder will be expected to remain a foundational member of the 49ers’ defense in 2025, a year in which several starters – including fellow linebacker Dre Greenlaw – are no longer in the fold. Having missed only one game so far in his career, durability is not a concern in this case.

Recent comments made by Warner indicated he would not engage in a holdout at any point in the offseason, a positive sign with respect to the status of his contract talks. Given the latest update, it would come as no surprise for a deal to be in place in the near future.

Fred Warner Will Not Hold Out Amidst 49ers Extension Talks

May 4th, 2025 at 4:52pm CST by Adam La Rose

Like quarterback Brock Purdy, linebacker Fred Warner has been in attendance for the opening stages of the 49ers’ offseason program. Both players represent priorities on the extension front, although plenty of progress is still required in the latter’s case.

Prior to the draft, it was reported San Francisco had not yet engaged in significant contract talks with Warner. Team and player were not close with respect to tight end George Kittle at that point, but things changed rather quickly on that front. While Kittle drew trade interest prior to signing his pact, it would certainly come as a surprise if San Francisco fielded calls for Warner.

The 28-year-old said (via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner) he does not plan on skipping any portion of the 49ers’ offseason by way of holding out. That is certainly a positive sign traction could be gained on the extension front relatively soon, although of course Purdy’s incoming raise needs to be finalized as well. Warner is confident at this point his camp and the 49ers will “figure out the right move” regarding a new deal.

As things stand, the four-time All-Pro is attached to his $19.05MM-per-year accord. That is the second most lucrative deal for off-ball linebackers, behind only Roquan Smith. Warner is on the books for another two years, but his $17.65MM base salaries for 2025 and ’26 are not guaranteed. An extension would provide him with a new round of locked-in money while also reducing scheduled cap charges of $29.17MM and $26.71MM.

Warner has remained durable and productive throughout his seven-year career. The former third-rounder filled the statsheet with 131 tackles, four forced fumbles and a pair of interceptions in 2024. He earned his third consecutive Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro nod as a result while helping his leverage in contract talks. A new agreement moving him to the top of the position’s market will likely be in store if progress is made during negotiations.

San Francisco’s roster has undergone plenty of changes this year (including at the LB spot and others on defense), but an offensive nucleus including notable contracts for Kittle, left tackle Trent Williams, receiver Brandon Aiyuk and Christian McCaffrey is still in place. Purdy’s second contract will bring with it a massive raise and no doubt tie him to the franchise for years to come. As talks continue in that case, it will be interesting to see if Warner’s long-term future also gets worked out sometime this summer.

49ers Haven’t Made Progress On George Kittle, Fred Warner Extension Talks

April 21st, 2025 at 5:45pm CST by Ben Levine

As the 49ers continue to navigate extension talks with Brock Purdy, it sounds like two veterans will have to wait their turns for negotiations. Michael Silver of The Athletic acknowledged that the 49ers and tight end George Kittle have engaged in contract talks, although the two sides “remain far apart.” Meanwhile, the organization hasn’t had “any substantive talks” with Fred Warner about an extension.

Kittle is set to enter his age-32 campaign and the final season of his five-year, $75MM deal. After years of injury issues, Kittle has seemed to put those behind him during his active contract. Over the past four years, the tight end has missed a total of eight regular season games, and he’s been active for all nine of the 49ers postseason contests.

Kittle has also continued to produce. The tight end has earned four-straight Pro Bowl nods and three-straight All-Pro recognitions, and he topped 1,000 receiving yards in both 2023 and 2024. With Deebo Samuel no longer in San Francisco and Brandon Aiyuk recovering from a torn ACL, the 49ers seem primed to be even more reliant on their tight end in 2025.

Kittle’s $14MM average annual value still ranks fourth at the position, but the organization is presumably looking to reduce that AAV as the veteran heads into the final stretch of his career. Kittle, meanwhile, is presumably pointing to his recent track record as reason for him remaining atop the TE market. For what it’s worth, GM John Lynch said earlier this year that he wants Kittle to finish his career in San Francisco.

Warner inked a then-record-breaking extension with the 49ers back in 2021, and through the first three years of that pact, the linebacker hasn’t missed a game for the 49ers. Warner has earned an All-Pro nod in each of those three campaigns, compiling 393 tackles, 5.5 sacks, nine forced fumbles, and seven interceptions over that span.

Among outside linebackers, Warner’s contract has since been surpassed by Roquan Smith, although the 49ers leader still ranks second at the position in AAV. With two years left on his contract, the 49ers likely feel less urgency to complete a new deal, and they’ll likely want some clarity on Purdy’s next pact before committing more years and money to their defensive star.

Silver’s report came in the context of the 49ers voluntary offseason program, which begins tomorrow. The reporter expects Warner to be in attendance, although he describes Kittle’s status as “much more of a long shot.”

NFC Injury Updates: Warner, Wright, Paschal

December 1st, 2024 at 5:44pm CST by Ely Allen

49ers linebacker Fred Warner is having an outstanding season, grading out as the best linebacker in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). The veteran’s impressive display is happening despite an apparent injury.

According to Nick Wagoner of ESPN, Warner recently reported that he’s been dealing with a fractured bone in his ankle. The injury reportedly occurred in a matchup with the Patriots, which took place all the way back on September 29. This means that Warner has been playing through the injury for eight weeks with only the bye week as respite.

Warner doesn’t expect to miss anytime, planning to continue to play through the injury. “Anytime you fracture a bone, if you just continue to play on it, the bone is usually not going to be able to heal itself. So (I) just (have) got to continue to just fight through.”

Here are a few other updates on injuries across the NFC:

The Bears were dealt a number of blows during Thursday’s Thanksgiving game. The most concerning of these blows was a knee injury that saw right tackle Darnell Wright carted off the field, per Gene Chamberlain of Sports Illustrated. Luckily, the mid-week game gives Chicago ten days to rest and recover, but the location of the injury is troublesome as Wright’s only missed time this year (three weeks ago) came as a result of a knee injury. It will be something to watch for in early injury reports when the team attends practice this week under new interim head coach Thomas Brown.
The Lions cannot afford to lose any more bodies on the defensive line. There was initially some concern that defensive end Josh Paschal might be in trouble after suffering a non-contact knee injury on Thursday, but things are looking up. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, “Paschal’s knee injury is not believed to be serious.” He will likely require some physical rehabilitation, but the injury will not be a season-ending one, as was initially feared.

Restructure Details: Cousins, Bills, Cowboys, Saints, Warner, Jets, Texans

March 15th, 2023 at 4:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

Facing a Kirk Cousins cap crunch last year, the Vikings worked out a third contract with their starting quarterback. They did not take that path this year. Minnesota instead agreed to a restructure, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). The reworking frees up $16MM in cap space for the Vikings, ESPN’s Kevin Seifert tweets. The Vikes look to have tacked on two more void years to Cousins’ deal. While the void years — for cap-reducing purposes — run through 2027, Cousins’ contract expires after the 2023 season. No extension is imminent.

The 34-year-old passer has enjoyed leverage throughout his Vikings relationship — via his free agency in 2018, ahead of his 2020 contract year on that fully guaranteed deal, and in 2022 as his second Vikes pact was set to produce a historic cap hit — but Minnesota’s new regime may now be looking toward moving on after the season. This will be a situation to monitor moving forward; Cousins has not played in a contract year since his 2017 Washington finale.

Here is the latest on teams’ restructures:

The Bills moved close to the 2023 league year in a cap hole, but they restructured the deals of their two highest-profile players to create considerable space. Buffalo reworked Josh Allen and Von Miller‘s contracts to create approximately $32MM in space, ESPN’s Field Yates tweets. The Bills have moved their way up past $8MM in cap room.
Per usual, the Saints have been hard at work on restructures. They adjusted the deals of Cameron Jordan, Alvin Kamara and Marshon Lattimore to create cap space, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Katherine Terrell (all Twitter links). The Jordan move created more than $10MM in cap space for New Orleans, which was back to being north of $20MM over the cap following its Derek Carr signing. As the league year begins, New Orleans made it under the cap by just more than $300K.
In addition to restructuring Tyron Smith‘s deal to ensure the All-Decade tackle plays a 13th season with the team, the Cowboys adjusted the contracts of DeMarcus Lawrence and Michael Gallup, Todd Archer of ESPN.com notes (Twitter links). Between them, the Lawrence and Gallup restructures freed up around $16MM for Dallas, which had already created more than $30MM in space by redoing Dak Prescott and Zack Martin‘s deals last week.
The 49ers restructured Fred Warner‘s extension, according to Yates (on Twitter). The move created nearly $9MM in cap space for San Francisco, which gave Javon Hargrave a four-year, $84MM deal to start the legal tampering period. A void year now exists in Warner’s contract, which runs through 2026 (with the void year coming in 2027). Warner’s cap number drops to $9MM but spikes past $24MM in 2024, which will probably prompt more maneuvering from the 49ers. They currently hold just more than $12MM in cap space.
Circling back to the Vikings, Jordan Hicks agreed to a restructure that will keep him in Minnesota this season, Insidethebirds.com’s Adam Caplan tweets. Hicks signed a two-year, $10MM deal with the Vikings last year.
Amid their Aaron Rodgers pursuit, the Jets created $4.8MM in cap space by restructuring John Franklin-Myers‘ contract, Yates tweets. Two void years are attached to the defensive lineman’s pact, which runs through 2025.
Texans safety Eric Murray agreed to a restructured deal as well, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 notes. Attached to a two-year, $10MM deal he signed in 2022, Murray remains on a Texans team that has seen its roster become crowded at safety. The team has added Jimmie Ward and re-signed M.J. Stewart this week. Murray played 17 games for the Texans last season but did not start any. This sounds like a pay-cut agreement, with Wilson adding Murray can make up to $4MM this season.

Load More Posts